Program Approval and Review
Approving authority
Academic Committee
Approval date
17 September 2015
Advisor
Manager, Academic Program Services | Academic Services
academicservices-policy-group@griffith.edu.au | (07) 373 55372
Next scheduled review
2020
Document URL
http://policies.griffith.edu.au/pdf/Program Approval and Review.pdf
TRIM document
2015/6008068
Description
This document describes the quality assurance process that ensures
effective curriculum planning and design of the University’s non-award and
award programs.
Related documents
Framework for Quality Assurance
Program Planning and Accreditation Timelines
New Program Strategic Brief
Program Withdrawal Submission
New Program Proposal
Major Change to a Program Proposal
[Scope] [Documentation] [Responsibilities] [Planning] [Approval] [Withdrawal] [Review] [Transnational
Audits] [Major and Minor Changes]
1.
SCOPE
The University self-accredits non-award programs and programs that lead to higher education
awards that it offers and confers. The University offers programs that:

align with the University’s Strategic and Academic Plans;

meet curriculum design principles consistent with University policy, external standards and
requirements;

develop the Griffith Graduate attributes, achieve the learning outcomes appropriate to the
qualification type and meet employers’ needs;

are planned with advice from relevant internal and external experts and supported by resources
appropriate to quality learning.
Program approval and review is the quality assurance process that ensures effective curriculum
planning and design and sustainable program requirements and structures. This process includes:

the planning and development of a new program or suite of new programs (including non-award
programs);

approval of a new program or suite of new programs (including non-award programs);

regular monitoring of the performance and sustainability of programs; and

program review for specific purposes such as initiating changes in curriculum, responding to
external accreditation and registration processes.
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Program Approval and Review
2.
DOCUMENTATION
New Program Strategic Brief - high level overview of the proposed new program for approval by the
Academic Provost.
Program Configuration Collection – data collection process for the Student System, Degree and
Career Finder, Programs and Courses and CRICOS registration initiated on Academic Provost’s
approval of New Program Strategic Brief. Data types and field properties required as part of the
Program Configuration Collection are approved by the Academic Provost. The Program
Configuration Collection for existing programs shall be undertaken twice a year by the Secretary,
Programs Committee in the format authorised by the Academic Registrar.
Program Withdrawal Submission – provides the case for withdrawal of a program and outlines the
teach-out and transition arrangements for continuing students for approval by the Academic Provost.
New Program Proposal - the curriculum design document, including program outcomes, program
structure, program requirements, course descriptions, learning and teaching approach, assessment
regime, prerequisites, entry levels and pathways; for approval of a new program by Programs
Committee.
Major Change to a Program Proposal – updates the curriculum design document, when the overall
program structure, program requirements, and/or content are changing to a significant degree, for
approval by Programs Committee.
Minor Change Proposal – document specifying the following program changes, where there are no
variations to program requirements, for the approval of the Dean (Learning & Teaching).
3.

Change to a program title or an award title (requires additional approval of Programs
Committee)

Renaming an academic plan

adding or withdrawing a course/s

replacing one course with another

changing a semester of offer for a course/s

changing the CP weighting of a course (requires a new course code)
RESPONSIBILITIES
Academic Provost has University-wide oversight of the Program Approval and Review Process.
Group PVC is responsible for the Program Profile Plan (PPP), as part of the annual operational and
strategic planning process, and for the endorsement of New Program Strategic Brief outside the
annual PPP process.
DVC (Engagement) is responsible for market research on new programs proposals.
PVC (International) is responsible for advising on new program proposals from an international
student perspective, in addition to conducting due diligence and market research on new
transnational program proposals.
Programs Committee has overarching responsibility for program approval for all of the University’s
qualifications.
Board of Graduate Research, on behalf of Programs Committee, assures that the research
component in Doctoral and Masters (Research) degrees meet the learning outcomes for those
qualification types, and is also responsible for the monitoring and review of Higher Degree Research
(HDR) programs.
Group Board recommends to Programs Committee the approval of new programs and academic
plans and program changes.
Dean (Learning & Teaching) oversees the development of the Group's program profile, leads
program development, monitors program performance and approves minor program changes.
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Program Approval and Review
Academic Registrar is responsible for the Program Configuration Collection and the publication of the
University’s programs on the Programs and Courses website.
4.
PLANNING
Annually the Group PVC develops a Program Profile Plan (PPP) in the period May – August which
specifies new programs and academic plans the Group wishes to introduce, together with timeframes
for program withdrawals and major changes. The PPP is informed by the Academic Plan, strategic
priorities of the group, campus profiles and student demand. The Program Profile may be
accompanied by a number of New Program Strategic Briefs and Program Withdrawal Submissions.
Each Group’s Program Profile Plan, New Program Strategic Briefs and Program Withdrawal
Submissions are evaluated by the Academic Provost, DVC (Engagement) and PVC (International), in
conjunction with academic Group representatives.
The Executive Group considers the Program Profile Plan in the context of the University's operational
planning and budget process and provides advice to the Academic Provost for finalising and
communicating decisions about new programs, program withdrawals and major changes to
academic Groups.
At any time during the year the Group PVC may lodge a New Program Strategic Brief with the
Academic Provost. Based on the information supplied in the New Program Strategic Brief the
Academic Provost will consider the proposal and advise the Group PVC whether or not the program
is to proceed. The Academic Provost will consult with the DVC (Engagement) and PVC
(International). The Academic Provost in consultation with the DVC (Engagement) may grant
“conditional approval” subject to further market research being undertaken, and specify whether it
should be conducted by an internal or external agency. If the approval is subject to further market
research, the results of that research will be submitted to the Academic Provost and DVC
(Engagement) so that a final decision can be made on the New Program Strategic Brief.
If the proposal is approved to proceed, the New Program Strategic Brief will be forwarded to the DVC
(Engagement), PVC (International), PVC (INS), Dean (Learning Futures) and the Academic
Registrar. The New Program Strategic Brief will also be submitted to Academic Committee for its
information.
Once the Academic Provost has made the decision to offer the program, the Academic Registrar will
initiate the Program Configuration Collection for the program to be published on Degree and Career
Finder.
5.
APPROVAL
After the Academic Provost approves the development of a new program, the Dean (Learning &
Teaching) is responsible for the quality of each program development within the Group and the New
Program Proposal which describes the program’s curriculum. The Dean (Learning & Teaching) shall
recommend the New Program Proposal to Group Board for consideration on the basis that:
a. there is a clear educational philosophy underpinning the curriculum;
b. there is a clear purpose and curricula goals aligned with learning outcomes and the Griffith
Graduate Attributes;
c.
the learning activities, delivery mode and student experiences in the program are consistent with
the intended learning outcomes;
d. the program structure and course sequencing provide a coherent learning experience;
e. assessment types and processes are appropriate to evaluate the students’ learning outcomes;
f.
academic support and advising arrangements for the program are suited to the intended student
cohort and for their achievement of the learning outcomes.
The New Program Proposal as recommended by the Dean (Learning & Teaching) is considered by:
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Program Approval and Review
a.
Group Board of the host Group and by the other relevant Group Board for double/vertical
degrees where the other component is offered by a School or Department outside the host
Group; and
b.
Programs Committee.
On the basis of Programs Committee’s approval of the New Program Proposal the Program
Configuration Collection for the program shall be updated for the program to be published on
Programs and Courses website.
6.
WITHDRAWAL
Where a program withdrawal is not included in the Group Program Profile Plan, the Group Pro Vice
Chancellor may provide a completed Program Withdrawal Submission at any time to the Academic
Provost to change the Group's Program Profile Plan. Once the Academic Provost has approved the
Program Withdrawal Submission, it is forwarded to the Secretary, Programs Committee who notifies
all relevant areas.
7.
REVIEW
The performance and sustainability of a program is regularly monitored by the academic Group on
the basis of program performance data and course experience reports available via the Business
Intelligence Portal. Deans (Learning &Teaching) are responsible for making an assessment of the
available program data and making recommendations to the Group PVC about the timing of an indepth program review.
In-depth program reviews are conducted on an ‘as needs’ basis when there is evidence that a
program review is required, this may include:
a. Program or market data highlight a change in demand or a consistent decline in performance;
b. An impending major change in the external or internal environment (e.g. government policy) that
is likely to directly impact on a program or to provide significant development opportunity;
c. A recent alignment with an industry, government, education or professional partner;
d. The fact that a key international relationship has commenced or is due to finish;
e. The emergence of a thematic issue common to a number of programs within a Group or across
multiple Groups that needs to be addressed;
f. Professional accreditation review processes have not addressed core program performance
issues.
Wherever possible, alignment between the timing and requirements for external professional
accreditation reviews and the University’s in-depth program reviews shall be realised.
8.
TRANSNATIONAL AUDITS
The Programs Committee may conduct audits of transnational programs for the purpose of reviewing
the offshore partner/provider and their facilities to determine that a program offered offshore is
equivalent to its onshore counterpart.
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9.
MAJOR AND MINOR CHANGES
Where a program review results in major changes to the overall program structure, graduate
outcomes and/or content, these changes are documented in the Major Change to a Program
Proposal. The Dean (Learning & Teaching) shall recommend the Major Change to a Program
Proposal for consideration by:
a. Group Board of the host Group and by the other relevant Group Board for double/vertical
degrees where the other component is offered by a School or Department outside the host
Group; and
b.
Programs Committee.
Major program changes approved by Programs Committee may generate consequential changes for
other programs, such as for double/vertical degrees, programs which share academic plans, or
courses which are shared between programs. In this situation, the relevant Dean (Learning &
Teaching) is responsible for approving all consequential changes and ensuring that Programs and
Courses website is updated to reflect those changes.
Where a program review results in minor changes to course content, these changes are documented
and approved by the relevant Dean (Learning & Teaching) then lodged with the Secretary, Programs
Committee.
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Program Approval and Review